Possessed
by GlassSerendipity
Summary: Human AU When Elenora's sister goes missing, Elenora takes it upon herself to go find her. Burdened by the past and by an obnoxious, over-friendly detective, she makes a journey to discover the truth about how dangerous connections can be. Especially for a psychic. Genderbends with lots of name changes. DenNor (Denmark x fem!Norway) HongIce (Hong Kong x fem!Iceland)
1. Chapter 1

This really isn't my story. You'd be wrong if you think this is going to be all about me. I actually play a very minimal part. I was only dragged into this whole mess by a cruel chance of fate.

* * *

"You look stunning, by the way," the message on my phone read.

I called bullshit on that one. I stuck out like a sore thumb. My fingers bunched in my short, silver-blonde hair as my eyes flicked around the room every so often as I glanced over my phone. I never felt so exposed in my entire life. Being "stunning" was not a good thing. I needed to be inconspicuous in a place like this.

"Stop flirting with me. I did what you asked. Just send the information so I can leave," I typed back.

Most times in these kinds of exchanges, I had to ask why me? This was the most ridiculous setup I had ever been persuaded into. I never had to be called out in the open like this. I usually just had to stake out a place and wait for something to happen. This was too personal. It felt like a trap, but what choice did I have?

The problem mostly had to do with this pesky informant. A few years back, the precinct was lucky enough to stumble upon him. He called himself the Scarlet Lion. The informant insisted on using a code name to remain a secret to those who want to keep him quiet, which was pretty much everybody at this point. He, of course, knew our names before we even told him. His knowledge made him pretty dangerous. I was just glad he was working for us and not for them. He was the best eyes and ears into the Chu syndicate that we had. Problem was, he was a bit...picky.

He was hard enough to deal with as it is, but he only held communication with one detective at a time. Ever since I joined this district, he practically begged for me. Apparently, he gave better information and a better demeanor while working with me than with any other detective, so the chief had no problem partnering us up. Why he chose me, I still don't know. He probably had a horrible sense of irony. Either way, I was going to use this relationship for my own benefit.

"Impossible. First of all, there's no way I can stop flirting with you. Second, this interaction isn't going to go the way it has in the past," I received his message.

I scowled. "That wasn't part of the deal," I typed and sent back.

"Hold on! I'm sweetening it up just for you. This is the motherload we're talking about. I'm giving out all my secrets. You don't even have to tell your little police department if you don't want to. I'm in as much danger here as you are."

I stiffened. I knew it. There was definitely a reason why he had chosen me. He knew exactly what I was here for, and he was finally going to give it to me.

I waited a bit before I typed my next message. "Well?"

"Hold on. I've got to finish something up real quick."

I rolled my eyes. It was just like him to make me wait. He probably just wanted to see how I'd react. I took another look around at my surroundings.

It was a darkly lit, authentic looking Chinese restaurant. A red dragon painted over the door signified that this was a regular Chu meet up point. Not that I looked like I had anything to do with the Chus. I should be avoiding this place like the plague. My fingers strummed impatiently over smooth mahogany

The only other person alone here was sitting a few seats over from me at the bar. He had potential. He gave off a different aura than the others. The other minions had been better at blending in than him, but at least he looked less out of place than me. Actually the more I stared at him, the stranger he seemed. There was something... unnatural.

I reached in my purse. It wouldn't hurt to try. It hadn't worked on anything else, but I had a good feeling about this picture. Maybe for once I'd actually be able to see something.

I brought the camera's viewfinder to my eye. I focused in on the stranger's face as he concentrated on his phone. I took the picture with an audible click.

"You know, usually when people say, 'Take a picture. It'll last longer,' they don't mean it quite so literally," the guy said. He turned his face towards me.

Now that I got a good look at him, I could see that he was really attractive. That hadn't been the reason I took his picture, but it was something to consider. His chin length, dark chestnut hair was stylized into place. His dress was casual, yet intentionally cool. His almond shaped and colored eyes looked me over. His physical characteristics would place him at least part-Chinese.

"But that's a really neat looking camera, so I guess I don't mind," he said off-handedly, clearly not very upset that I stole a picture of him.

I half smirked. "It's vintage." My camera was one of the best things I possessed. It was the only thing I had that was hers.

"Cool," he said.

I took a chance and snuck a glance at the phone he left on the bar. It looked like he was in the middle of a game of Candy Crush. Not very likely he was working with the Scarlet Lion. Or the Chus for that matter.

"So...are you waiting here for anybody?" he asked.

I considered my options. On the one hand, I really needed that information. On the other, it wasn't everyday that a hot guy showed interest in me. It'd only be fair for the Scarlet Lion to wait on me for once. He could consider it payback.

"Uh...no. I'm not," I said, giving my full attention to him.

He smiled. "You're a terrific liar, Emily Callaway. You really made me think you were going to ditch me for me."

I stiffened. That little... I collected myself and kept my calm exterior. "I wasn't waiting. Apparently, you were already here." Blowing me off for a game of Candy Crush apparently. I put my camera away and turned my shoulder to him. "So, I'm guessing you're the Scarlet Lion."

"The one and only, but you can call me Leon," he said.

I turned toward him. "Leon?" Seriously? He called himself the Scarlet Lion because his name was Leon? That was probably one of the lamest code names I had ever heard. He had clearly watched too many secret agent movies as a kid.

He nodded. "Leon Chu."

Chu?! His last name was Chu?! This was bad. This was really bad.

"My first of many secrets," Leon said. "But don't worry. You can trust me."

"Trust you?!" I said incredulously. My skin was crawling. I really don't think I could trust him if he'd been part of the Chu syndicate this whole time.

"Yeah, I have been feeding you top secret Chu information despite my pedigree. I think a little trust is due," Leon said. "How much do you know about the Chu family itself, Emily?"

It was a bit too late to get away now. He was the one who gave me information, so it's not like I could feign ignorance at this point. I sighed and reached back into my purse to get out my little notebook and pen.

"Yao Chu is the current head of the Chu syndicate, which is a family based organization going back for several generations. He was the youngest brother of the last head of the family and was made the leader due to desperate and unforeseen circumstances. The other brach leaders in the Chu syndicate are his niece and nephews." I drew out a sloppy family tree to show their relationships. Without looking up, I drew Xs on all of the important family members who were dead.

"You missed one," Leon said. He took the pen from me. He drew a line from the former head of the Chu syndicate and drew another stick figure. He emphasized this figure by circling him several times.

"Ta da!" he said. He clicked the pen closed with a sense of finality. He handed the pen back to me. "That's me."

"You're telling me that you're the next head of the Chu syndicate?" I said disbelievingly, looking at the clear lineage.

"Predictably. I lived with my mother in England, but yes, my father was the head of the Chu family. The fact that you don't know who I am is exactly why I am the Chu syndicate's best kept secret," Leon nodded. "As you so promptly noted, all of Yao's nieces and nephews have a position in the business. I happen to be in charge of information and its manipulation. It's my job to know the dirty secrets of everybody." He gave me a teasing smile. "Now, before we get to the good stuff, I have to ask you one question. Why are you so curious about the Chus?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You really have to ask? There's only reason I became a detective. I don't care what crimes the Chu syndicate have been up to now. I need to know the truth about what happened fifteen years ago. I just want to close this case once and for all."

"...and that's all?"

I knew what he was getting at. "That's all," I assured him. I was just so tired of all of this.

"Okay, then," Leon said. He sat back with a satisfied look on his face.

"Okay then what?"

"Okay, then I'll tell you the truth. It's what you want, right? I've got a room in the back where we can talk about this a little more privately." He hopped off the barstool and held his hand out to me.

Maybe it was because I just wanted this all to be over. Maybe it was the strange, unexplainable connection I had with this informant. But some feeling made me slide off that barstool, take his hand, and follow him.

* * *

He explained everything carefully and calmly. The more he went on, the worse the dread compiled in my stomach. In a corner of my mind, I knew this was it, but I had shoved the very thought so far away that I couldn't believe it was possible. I didn't want this to be the truth. There was no chance for justice.

"Lydia Callaway, your mother, had no reason to massacre the Chu family. So, it can be concluded that the cause of what happened fifteen years ago was an act of pure insanity." Leon let his words sink in. "Do you believe me?"

"All this time..." I said weakly. "I thought there had to be some sort of reason, some logical explanation to why my mother would do something like that. Black mail, torture, anything. But she really was just crazy."

All of the others had been right. My sister's comforting words had been wrong. Lydia did it, and she did it out of cold blood.

"So, am I here for revenge then?" I crossed my arms. "Is this the final stake in the Callaway family?"

"No, not really."

His answer surprised me. I'm sure my eyes went wide.

"Sure, your mother killed my dad and most of my family, but what happened back then had nothing to do with you. Too many people have suffered at the hands of Lydia Callaway."

I relaxed slightly. So, he wasn't going to kill me. "That's a relief, I guess," I said.

"But that's just me. I wouldn't say the same for my uncle and cousins," Leon sighed.

I stiffened.

"They want you and your family dead. Completely wiped out. They were planning for me to get close to you to draw out your father and sister," Leon revealed.

"You have got to be kidding me! Do they want another massacre?!" I exclaimed.

"That's what I'm saying!" Leon huffed in frustration. He looked over at me. "Knowing this, what are you thinking about doing?"

"I..." What were you supposed to say in a situation like this? I could feel my adrenaline pumping, preparing my body to flee. "I'll give my two weeks notice. Get as far away from the Chus that I can."

Leon shook his head. "Not good enough. You don't have two weeks for a clean get away."

I caught on to the key word. "Clean?"

"Run away with me," he said suddenly. "I'll make sure that they'll never be able to find you."

I was astonished to say the least. "Why would you do that?"

"Like I said, I'm in as much danger as you are," Leon said. "I need to make a fast break, and I think I'd rather enjoy your company."

"What did you do?" I asked with caution. It couldn't be good coming from the next leader of a major crime syndicate.

"Nothing much. Just committing the greatest taboo in Chu family history." He gave me a mischievous smile. "I've taken quite a strong liking to one of the Callaways. If I'm not careful, I might even fall in love."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. I guess that pathetic flirting hadn't all been for show. "Is this my only option?"

"It's your best bet." He nodded. "I can manipulate our records so that we're completely untraceable. It's not like I'm going to force you to be with me. You'll just need to stick with me until you're good and far away."

As much as it pained me to think, this was my best bet. But it was a bet. That's all.

"Everything is arranged already. We can leave as soon as you say yes," Leon said.

I sighed. "Fine."

"Your enthusiasm is overwhelming, Emily. Try to dial it down a notch," he said with a laugh. He got up from his seat. "It won't be that bad. I might even sweep you off your feet."

I got up too and looked Leon in the eye. If I was going to go through with this, I needed something more to go on.

I brought my lips to his once as a test. It felt good. I brought my lips to his twice just to double check. Still felt good. I brought my lips to his a third time just because I wanted to.

There was an undeniable connection between Leon and I. Strong enough that even I could sense it. Leon's lips moved gently against mine. His hand curved against my face, softly pulling me towards him. This was definitely something I could get used to.

"Well..." Leon started. There was an excited glint in his eye as he smiled. "That was unexpected, but it certainly does make things easier."

For the first time in a long time, I smiled. "Let's go."

* * *

We ran for three months before we settled down. Leon was happy and far too confident in our situation. He'd tell me not to worry. "You'd have to be psychic just to get a lead." Well, they do say ignorance is bliss.

Anyway, like I said, this is not my story. This is simply an introduction with a love story far too cut-and-dry to amount to any sort of heart pounding adventure. This story is about my sister: Elenora Callaway. Psychic extraordinaire.


	2. Chapter 2

This was more than a dream. My senses were far too clear than the lulling fog of a dream. The connection was too strong. It could only be a memory.

My small hands bunched around and tugged the tall grass on the hill. It was itchy on my bare legs. My chest bundled and coiled as I tried to hold back my displeasure.

"Nora, you don't have to be so upset," her voice laughed out. She read me all too easily.

I looked up to see my mother. Her pink lips curved effortlessly into a smile. She looked like springtime herself. Her very light, straight blonde hair flew with the breeze. Her skin was soft and clear and warm like sunshine. Her eyes were bluer than the sky, and her voice was prettier and silkier than flower petals.

"I don't like it. I don't like it at all," I grumbled. I didn't need to say it out loud. I never hid anything from my mother

"Just because love is a little different for you and me, doesn't mean it has to be bad. It can actually be quite wonderful," she said. She took my hand in hers. "As psychics, we can sense the connections between the spiritual and physical worlds. The stronger the connection is to us, the more affected we become. You can feel it, can't you?"

I closed my eyes and nodded. More pertinent than the warm feeling of my mother's hand was our psychic connection. The fact that we shared a mother-daughter, psychic bond made our connection unlike any other.

"When you fall in love, the connection is a lot more direct and infinitely stronger than what you've ever experienced. When your bodies become one, your spirits become one as well. It's very similar to becoming..."

"Possessed," I finished for her. When powerful spirits force connections onto weaker spirits, it can be known as a possession. The otherworldly had a habit of taking over the living or haunting certain places they were connected to.

As psychics, we had to train our spirits and bodies to not be overwhelmed by the connections around us. Very few psychics had enough power or experience to directly interact with spirits. The exception was my mother and, later, me. I still had much to learn.

The psychic trait is heredity. Over the centuries of human existence, psychic powers had nearly been depleted due to crossbreeding and the unfortunate period of time when they burned "witches" at the stake. My father came from a psychic line as well but had little more power than what you would label "intuition" and "luck." He had a very good gut feeling. The only way you could really tell that he came from a line of psychics were his piercing violet eyes.

Despite our strong psychic heritage, I inherited most of the power; my sister had none. The only trait she inherited was the eyes. In a certain light, her eyes would shine purple. She wouldn't have nearly as much trouble I would.

"It's not fair," I said. I took my hand from my mother and crossed my arms defiantly across my chest. "I don't want to be possessed. I'm never going to let myself fall in love."

"Nora, love isn't always something you can control. I know, it sounds scary, but when you're in love with someone, you learn to trust them."

I wanted to believe my mother. I really did. But after the events that happened fifteen years ago, I promised myself I would never let myself become that vulnerable. Ever.

* * *

When I woke up, I was a little more than disoriented. Connections to the past could make the present seem unreal. I had to take a moment to figure out where I was. By the looks of it, I was in a hotel. American. What I was doing here, I wasn't quite sure. I needed some coffee.

Any coffee I would find in this hotel probably wasn't going to cut it. It'd just make me in a worse mood than I was now. I walked out in a daze, looking for the green sign to save me. I was drawn into a Starbucks.

There were surprisingly very few people in the coffee shop. I was able to walk right up to the counter. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the strong coffee smell. I could almost inhale the caffeine.

"Good morning, princess."

And the irritation zipped right back into me. I opened my eyes to see the barista grinning at me. His hair was blond and sticking up in crazy directions behind his visor.

I was still wearing my pajamas. "Princess" was scrawled out in purple script across my chest. I didn't have the patience for this.

"Tall latte with a shot of vanilla and a double shot of espresso. No foam," I ordered, ignoring him.

"How about a name?" he asked, writing my order on a cup.

"Elenora," I said unwillingly.

"Okay, how about a date?" he asked, smiling even bigger.

"No," I answered quickly and coldly.

"Ouch, but I'm afraid I can't take no for an answer, princess," he said, completely unfazed. "See, I've already paid for your drink, so this is technically our first date."

What was this guy's deal? In just a moment, I got a read on him. Much more than I wanted, in actuality. First off, he wasn't a barista. He some sort of undercover detective desperately wanting to show off. Second, he had this really strong attachment to me. I had dealt with people being attracted to me before, but this was on a different level. Usually, it was enough for my strong disinterest to cause them to become at least slightly discouraged. I had to be more harsh.

"I said no, you arrogant prick. Now, focus on your job before someone gets hurt," I said. The criminal was supposed to show up any minute now.

His eyebrows raised at that. He dispensed the steaming milk into the cup. "Remind me never to mess with you in the morning."

That wasn't good enough. He wasn't catching on. I ignored him as best I could and focused on what exactly I was doing back here.

"Here you go, princess," he interrupted my chain of thought. He leaned across the counter, keeping my cup just out of my reach.

I grabbed the cup. My eyes widened with surprise. This wasn't my order.

He threw me a wink. "I thought you could use a triple."

I narrowed my eyes at him. I couldn't believe I just let myself react like that. His sheer idiocy caught me off gaurd. I'm almost positive he didn't notice my minute reaction.

I brought the cup to my lips and took a sip. It certainly was strong. And quite possibly the best latte I ever had. Of course, I couldn't give him the satisfaction. I turned around and took a few more sips as I headed to the door. Just as I was about to head out, the criminal the detective was waiting for showed up.

The air was tense. The detective was sending strong vibes that this man was dangerous. The detective was feeling very protective of something. I had a feeling he was going to do something stupid.

"Freeze!" the detective-barista shouted, drawing his gun.

He really was an idiot. Whatever the criminal had originally been planning, he immediately changed his mind. He was going to use me as a hostage. Before he could lay a single finger on me, I forced my palm up under his jaw. His teeth slammed together, and his head hit the door. I punched him in the stomach with the same hand, and smashed my latte into his face.

He fell to the floor, temporarily incapacitated and screaming from the burns on his skin. The coffee sleeve stayed gripped in my hands. That detective had written his phone number and a few hearts. I threw it into the trash.

"Nice going, genius." I looked back at the very astonished and blank-minded detective. "Weren't you undercover for a reason?" I reminded him.

I stepped over the Chu syndicate criminal on the ground. What a waste of coffee. Still, the incident was a refresher. I remembered why I was dreaming about the past again. To think I would end up back here after all these years. So much had changed, but that didn't matter. I wouldn't stay long. The precinct was sure to have more coffee. I'd find out what was up with my sister and go. No need to make this ordeal any of my business.


	3. Chapter 3

I checked out of the hotel once I cleaned myself up and got into normal clothes. I had grown so detached to this town that the dream last night had come as a surprise. My mind was already trying to reconnect. I couldn't stay long. The only thing I was here for was my sister. I wanted nothing else.

The bag slung over my shoulder was worn. I had been traveling for a long time. The fabric was starting to fade and strain. It wasn't heavy; I tried not to carry too much with me. I adjusted the strap and made my way to the precinct.

The doors jingled when they opened. The normal hum and bustle of work ceased when it seemed just a single pair of eyes recognized my presence. It had been years since I had been home, and it hadn't gone unnoticed.

I walked up to the counter with half-hooded eyes. Slowly, I could sense the feeling of fear trickle towards me from the people in the building. Dread, cowardice, contempt. Deeper than those was the shame and regret. I kept my head held high. I was above this. Nothing could change the past.

"Ma'am! I'm afraid I can't let you back there... Detective Callaway isn't..." the secretary started to explain as if I didn't already know.

"The chief is expecting..." I said lazily. I paused just long enough to reach the peak of swelling tension. You could practically hear the fingers covering their triggers. "Me."

I heard a hidden sigh. "She's fine Hannah. Let her in."

I could feel all of their eyes on me as I walked past the counter. I let myself into the chief's office and shut the door behind me.

Chief North sat behind her desk. Behind her tough exterior I could sense her anxiety. Her hands were folded together as her elbows rested on the table. Her long, straight blonde hair was tied back in a pony tail. Her blue eyes looked at me cautiously from behind her glasses. The dark blue power suit she wore made her look nothing less than intimidating to the ave rage person.

"How did you know?" she asked calmly. "I haven't told anybody."

"I'm psychic, Susannah. You can't exactly hide something like that. You might as well at least tell the father. He's worried about you, you know." I sat down gracefully in one of her chairs. The chair was not soft, but I wasn't exactly supposed to get comfortable here either. "So, you've lost my sister."

Chief North opened her mouth to say something.

"Not that I'm surprised," I sighed. "Emily has always been a bit of a handful. You must not have any leads if you needed me to come in."

"Your sister is an excellent detective, Elenora. She knew how to cover her traces," she said.

"Let me guess. Emily ended up getting a little too close to the Chu syndicate, and you want find out what she knows." This was bound to happen eventually.

"We know..."

Susannah was interrupted by loud laughter from outside her office. The room was filled by extreme annoyance. Hers and then quickly mine.

"Ha! Why's everyone so serious? Look who nabbed the bad guy again! Bow down to your new king, bitc-"

"Detective Prince, get in here! Now!" Susannah bellowed.

I prayed this intense, cocky aura wasn't who I thought it was. Sure enough, barista-detective walked into the office still in his Starbucks uniform.

"I did a good job, huh? Better be holding onto your precious little mahogany desk, sweetheart." He opened his mouth to offer more degrading comments at the chief. He stopped disturbingly fast, and I was bombarded with even more unwarranted feelings of attraction entirely on his part

I applauded Susannah's ability to hold back her anger. "You're late. Detective Prince, this is Miss Callaway. She's..."

"So _she's_ the one who's supposed to be my partner! I thought you told me she skipped town! THAT explains why you showed up at Starbucks, princess! You were probably just checking me out. Impressed?" He grinned at me.

"You have got to be kidding..." I said. I glared at the chief. "I thought you were my friend, Susannah. You can't possibly expect me to work with him. He can't even stay undercover in a Starbucks for thirty seconds without making himself look like an idiot."

"Detective Prince, Elenora is Detective Callaway's sister. She's agreed to help us track her down. Elenora, I promise you, Detective Prince is one of the best detectives in the state," Susannah said.

"That doesn't reassure me," I said.

"With all due respect, Susie..."

"Chief," Susannah interupted.

"Chief, I really don't know how much help she can be. I mean, she's not a detective. Plus, she has a clear bias in this case," barista-detective argued.

"Elenora knows the behavioral patterns of Emily better than any detective here. She has a specific set of skills that are critical for solving this case quickly without stirring up unnecessary drama. As sensitive as this case is, I think it's best for you two to work together."

"Oh yeah? And what sort of 'skills' does she have?" the detective said with added air quotes.

Susannah hesitated to say anything. She looked at me, gaging how much was appropriate to reveal.

I rolled my eyes. I stopped caring long ago. "I'm psychic."

"Seriously?" the detective laughed out. "No really, are you a con artist or something? Rogue Chu, mafia, or anything like that?"

"Trust me, you really don't want me to prove it," I said. He didn't believe me but was childishly intrigued, like I might have some sort of superpower.

"Oh come on, princess. You've got me curious. Hit me with your best shot."

Oh man, how I wanted to knock him down a peg or two. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the connections around me. "Your name is Daniel Prince. Son of Howard Prince, the police chief in your hometown, apparently. As a kid, you always admired him and wanted grow up to be just like him. You never wanted to be anything other than a detective."

"So, you read my file. That doesn't..."

"I'm not finished." I opened my eyes and dared him to interrupt me again. "The first kink in your ultimate plan came in training school when you met Susannah, though she still had her maiden name then. You're surprised to see her married now because she never seemed anything more to you than frigid. Despite her seemingly unpleasant nature, she tested better than you in all fields and prevented you from being first in your class. She chose to come here while you were transferred to a big city."

"Elenora, that's..." Susannah said hesitantly.

"And even then, you couldn't move up the ranks because no matter how hard you worked, there was always some other hotshot there to steal your credit. So you started getting impatient. You wanted to get jobs done quickly. You've gotten several reprimands for jumping to conclusions and using your firearm excessively. You're trigger happy. The only thing that kept you from getting kicked out of the force was your ability to bring in criminals despite your hasty methods. You got transferred to this town because the council thought the change in pace might calm you down, but now, you're thinking your chances are better at being chief in a no name place like this. You're just itching for your big break."

"Elenora, that's enough," Susannah demanded.

I took a few deep breaths. I had been going in much too deep for casual conversation. I had gotten much closer than I intended. I needed more control. "I can handle this on my own, Susannah."

"I can't allow that. If you try to get close to the Chu syndicate, I can't help but believe you'll end up much worse than 'missing.'"

We all looked over when the door clicked open a fraction.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is this a bad time?" The man was short, blond, and donned a long white lab coat

Dr. Finnigan North: coroner, forensic specialist, and Susannah's new husband. I was still too attuned to the connections around me. Finn's love, concern, and honestly slight fear for Susannah was overwhelming.

"Finn, do you think you could come back later?" Susannah said in a tired voice. Our discussion was obviously taking a toll on her stress levels.

"No, I was just leaving," I said, getting up from my chair.

"Elenora..."

"Don't bother worrying about me. You've got better things to do," I said and walked out.

* * *

No one tried to stop me as I filled a cup a coffee and sat back in the barracks. The Chu syndicate member I had the pleasure of running into at the Starbucks sat as far away from me as possible behind the bars, scared speechless. He still had first-degree burns on his face from my previous cup of coffee.

"You know, the coffee here is fairly awful," barista-detective said as he leaned against the wall beside me. The styrofoam cup was just at my lips.

"I know," I said and sipped defiantly.

"Right, you're 'psychic.' That was a pretty cool trick you did back there," he said. "Do I know you from somewhere? You'd think I'd remember someone like you," he said.

"No," I said after I took another sip.

"Hmm," he said as he thought. "Maybe it's just because you know Susannah. Well anyway, I think we should work together."

I turned my head slowly to look up to him. "You _want_ to work with me?" He was more disillusioned than I thought. I hadn't exactly been very friendly towards him, nor did I expect that to change.

"Yeah, I'm sure you can guess my objective in all of this. I want to bring the syndicate down. Finding Detective Callaway is my best chance. If Chief says you know her best, she's probably right. As for why you need me, let's just say I'm more than a pretty face," he said.

I scoffed. He really didn't know anything.

"Apparently, right before she disappeared, Detective Callaway had been in close contact with a Chu informant. We brought in this guy to see what he knows," he said, indicating to the prisoner with his head.

"Hey! Keep her away from me!" the inmate shouted. "I shouldn't have to put up with this."

"Knock it off!" barista-detective shouted as he kicked the bars. "Unless you feel like talking now."

"I told you, I don't want anything to do with the Callaways! The world would be a better place without them!"

"I wouldn't bother with him," I sighed. "Even if the Chus were related to my sister's disappearance, he's not ranked high enough to know." I got up and threw my coffee away. I was only about halfway through.

"See, I warned you about the coffee! You should have just kept the cup I gave you," the detective said. He followed me as I left the barracks.

"Let's get this straight, you don't have a chance in hell of taking down the Chus. Neither do I, and neither does my sister," I told him harshly. "You're damn delusional if you think you can use us to take them down so you can climb up the corporate ladder. Second, don't you dare think for a second that me agreeing to work with you suggests in any way, now or in the future, that I feel anything towards you other than complete indifference. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," he said with an irritating grin. He zipped in front of me and held his hand out. "And we'll just see about the Chus. I'm a lot better than you think. You can call me Danny, by the way. Looks like we're going to be partners."

I brushed past his open hand. "Whatever."


	4. Chapter 4

It's not that I didn't know he was there, I just chose to ignore him. A task that was getting increasingly more difficult.

I closed my eyes and continued walking as his horn honked again.

"Princess! Hey! Wait up!"

I had a few seconds at most before his light turned green. That wasn't enough time to get away

"Yo! Callaway! Elenora Callaway!" Daniel pulled to the side in his bright red convertible and drove slowly next to me. His car was about as ostentatious as he was. He had changed out of his barista uniform and was now wearing a bright red button-down shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He honked his horn several more times. "Nora! Where are you going?"

"I'm looking for my sister. And would you keep your voice down? The whole town doesn't have to know I'm here," I said.

"On foot? No way! You know your sister isn't anywhere around here. We've already checked," he said.

"I can sense that much," I sighed and kept walking forward.

"Why didn't you wait for me? I just had to wait for Chief to give me the briefing. I could've given you a ride. Hell, I can still give you a ride! Get in! Where are you headed?"

I sensed he really wasn't going to be quiet anytime soon. This was probably the best way to shut him up. I stopped, and he stopped along with me. I opened the passenger door and let myself in, keeping my bag in my lap.

"Just head up the road a bit and make a left," I instructed.

His grin was too wide and irritatingly bright. It was just a ride for goodness sakes. "So...you're really a psychic huh? That's quite the occupation," Daniel said as he handled the turn. "Is your sister psychic too?"

"No, she's just a detective," I sighed and crossed my arms.

"Just?"

"Something like observation is fundamental. We were trained to see the connections around us since birth. Just because she doesn't have psychic powers doesn't make her an exception. Detective work is child's play."

"Well, I think being a detective is a bit more than that..." Daniel said offhandedly.

The buildings started to fade out as we headed further out of town. With so little traffic, Daniel afforded to take several extended glances my way.

"If you're trying to test me, my power doesn't work like that," I had to explain for about the millionth time. That was the first thing people always tried to do. Usually thinking something ridiculous.

"Really? How does it work then?" Daniel asked.

"Like I said, I sense connections. Your spirit automatically makes connections, weak and strong, to everything around you. Things, people, ideas, actions. I interpret them," I said.

"But you can't tell what I'm thinking?"

"Of course I can. I just really don't want to," I answered.

"Right, right," he said with a laugh. He looked away from me and towards the road. "Sure you can, princess." His smile was stupid and cocky.

"I don't need to prove anything to you," I said.

Without even reading my mind, I could tell he was thinking about me. The ever constant, ever slight pulse from his connection to me tugged at the corner of my mind. I closed my eyes and prayed that he would stop soon. Even without talking, he managed to be annoying.

"So, where are we going?" he asked. There weren't many options left heading this direction.

"It's complicated."

* * *

"Whoa! How old is this place?" Daniel asked as we walked onto the porch. The hardwood was dark and smooth. That was new. It was a nice touch. "Don't see many houses like this in town."

"One hundred and fifty give or take. It's been under renovation for a little over seventeen. years."

"Hmm," Daniel said. He looked around in admiration.

Before we even knocked, the large front door opened. Standing in the entryway was a large man. He was tall and broad with brawn. His long blond hair was pushed back and a rugged blond beard covered his face. His violet eyes were piercing as he looked over his company.

He suddenly lunged forward and squeezed me tightly in his arms. I smiled into the soft fabric of his green turtleneck.

_"Welcome home, Nora. I missed you."_

The connection to my dad was unbelievably strong. His psychic ability wasn't as powerful as mine, but I could read him really easily. He knew enough to form his thoughts in ways that it formed sentences in my mind. I almost felt guilty for leaving him so often. We were the last two psychics we knew after all.

_"I had a feeling you'd be coming today."_

I laughed. A little psychic humor there.

_"But I have to wonder about your little tagalong..."_

"So...is this your dad or..." Daniel said, struggling to assess the situation.

"Dad, this is Detective Prince. Daniel, this is Kyle Callaway, Emily's and my father."

"Hello, sir. It's nice to meet you," Daniel said with a charming smile and an outstretched hand.

My father glared at Daniel and then at me.

_"I don't want to talk to any detectives, Elenora."_

He turned back into the house and walked away, but he did keep the door open.

"Did...was it something I said?" Daniel asked, even more confused by my father's dismissive behavior.

"Come on," I said. I walked into the house.

"Dad, we're not here to interview you," I reassured him.

"Uh... I never agreed to..." Daniel started to say. I glared at him urging him to shut up. Luckily, for once, he did. I guess my father's intimidation still carried over.

_"Then, you better not be..."_

The next thoughts weren't exactly words. They were mostly a mixture of anger and wedding bells.

"Dad, no. That's disturbing," I said.

"I can't help but get the feeling I'm out of the loop here," Daniel said.

Dad came back into view with a dry erase board and a marker. He scrawled out in angry letters "Go away!" and directed the board straight into Daniel's face.

Daniel pursed his lips. "I'm getting there's a bit of aggression here..."

"Dad...Dad..." I got in between my father and Daniel. Damn male hormones and their insatiable need for dominance. "I'm here to get a reading on Emily. We're just trying to find her. That's all."

Dad was still pretty mad. There was also a tinge of dissappointment. Every time I came back, he always wished I would stay. But I couldn't.

He used the eraser end of his marker to wipe the slate clean. He wrote a new message on his board. "I don't know where she is."

"I know...just go back to whatever you were doing before," I said.

He reluctantly nodded. I nodded back and grabbed the idiot behind me.

"What's his problem?" Daniel asked, nodding his head back the direction my father went.

"He doesn't like detectives," I said as we headed up the stairs.

"That must be pretty tough considering Emily. But still, you'd think he'd at least say something instead of writing on a dry erase board."

"Of course he didn't say anything. He can't talk," I said.

"What, does he have a cold or something?" My dad looked far from sick.

"His vocal cords were crushed," I informed him.

"Ok, wow, now I feel like an asshole. What the hell happened?"

"Geez Daniel, do I have to spell it out for you?" I snapped. "He's a Callaway. What do you think happened?"

Too emotional. That was too emotional. I needed to reign myself in here. Four more steps 'til the top. That' small I needed to focus on.

"So, it has to do with _that_, huh?" he said seemingly unfazed. It was basically impossible not to know in this town after all, and he was trying to deal with the Chus. He didn't say anything more about the incident and looked around at the pictures on the walls. "And you can call me Danny, by the way."

"His windpipe and larynx were crushed in the struggle," I summed up indifferently, allowing Daniel to have a bit more of an explanation. "That's all. Most of the damage was surgically repaired, but his vocal cords were shattered. Trust me, you wouldn't want to hear him try to talk."

"Whoa, hey, is this your mom?" Daniel had stopped suddenly in the hallway in front of a picture frame.

"Yeah," I said defensively. I crossed my arms over my chest. I dared him to try to say one more thing about her.

"She's gorgeous! I mean, I've seen her picture from the case file, but it didn't give her justice. I can totally see where you get it from! Got your looks from your mom and your charming personality from your dad," Daniel concluded.

Man, he was odd. I mean, he knew what happened, right? He didn't even say anything about... You know what, I'm glad he didn't. Most people got it wrong anyway, so it would only make me pissed.

"Shut up," I said.

I headed further down the hall past my old room to my sister's. All of her old stuff was perfectly preserved for a moment just like this.

"What are you doing?" Daniel asked as I sat down in the middle of the floor.

"Shh," I ordered. "Get out of here. And close the door. I've got psychic stuff to do. You'll just throw everything off."

"Fine, princess," Daniel said, a little hurt and sarcastic. He looked around, trying to figure out what to do. "I guess I'll just...hang out with your dad."

"Your funeral," I said as I closed my eyes. "And stop calling me princess. This is only a work relationship."

I heard his feet as he walked away. Once he was far enough away, I closed my eyes and opened myself up to the connections.

* * *

Memories came pouring in. This room was the place where my sister spent the majority of her life. I remembered when we first moved in, my sister and I running around, imagining the possibilities in the peeling paint and missing floorboards. I remember exploring the forest outside with her, searching for fairy rings. Confiding in secrets that only sisters could understand in the small hours of the morning. I remember laughing together, crying together, fighting together, fighting each other, disagreeing, growing distant...

I opened my eyes. I could feel our connection. She was in danger.

I zipped over to my room. It acted for my base of operations when I was in town. I took all of the clothes out of my bag and dumped them on the floor. My closet was full of clothes I had collected from all over the world, but it was time to start another journey. I grabbed some basics and stuffed them into my bag.

I got up and headed down the stairs with my bag back over my shoulder.

"Danny!" I yelled as I headed down the stairs.

"Yo!" I heard him yell back.

He wasn't downstairs. I vaguely sensed the area for half a second to figure out where they were. I found them in the backyard painting the fence. Well, Danny was painting the fence. Dad was leaning back in his lawn chair and reading a book.

"We've got to go," I said.

"Well, that took a while," Danny said. He groaned he stood up. "What was going on up there? Get lost in your head or something?" Danny laughed at his own joke. My father gave him a disapproving glance from over his book.

"Emily's in trouble," I said.

"Thought so," Danny said. He put the paintbrush back in the paint bucket. He reached into his pocket and fished out his keys. He twirled them around in his fingers. "I'll drive."

We headed towards the little gate to get to the front until there was this sound. The kind of sound that would make the hair on your arms raise. It was like a mix between thunder, wind against a window pane, and a garbage disposal. Danny nearly jumped five inches in the air. He turned around towards the sound with his hand reaching for his concealed gun. I put my hand on his arm to stop him before he could do something stupid.

My dad was just trying to get his attention, and I suppose he succeeded. Succeeded in scaring the shit half out of him, too. I wish my dad wouldn't strain his throat like that. Dad reached and grabbed a water bottle. He threw it at Danny and nodded.

The detective caught it easily. "Thanks, pops!" Danny yelled, seemingly very thrilled by the water offering.

Whatever good favor Danny had gotten into with my father quickly disappated. Being Tom Sawyered into doing my father's bidding could only go so far.

"Bye, Dad," I called and waved to him. I couldn't have him getting rid of my partner just yet.

He waved back to me.

_"Come back soon, Nora. I love you."_

I nodded and just looked away. He understood anyway.

"Your dad's so cool! I didn't know your parents used to renovate old houses." Danny took several large gulps from his water bottle as we headed back to his car.

"Used to. He mostly just lives off the lottery and poker games. Renovating the house is more of a hobby now," I said.

"So, where are we headed now? Back to the precinct?" he asked as he opened the car door.

"No. We'll go to the last place my sister was when she was in town. I can follow her trail from there," I said confidently. I sat in the passenger seat and closed the door behind me. "Just follow my directions, and I can get us there."

Danny shook his head and turned his key in the transmission. "I really hope you're right about this."


End file.
